Sealing device for tire valves



Feb. 17, 1931. 5 DlSNEY 1,792,825

SEALING DEVICE FOR TIRE VALVES Filed Dec. '7, 1928 amulet George E. Disney as, M

Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' GEORGE E. DISNEY, OF AKRON, OHIO, LSSIGNOR '10 GOOIOYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01 OHIO SEALING DEVICE FOR TIRE VALVES Application Med December 7, 1928. Serial No. 324,455.

This invention relates to inner tubes for pneumatic tires and it has particular relation to a valve stem associated with the tube for retaining air under'pressure therein.

An ob ect of the invention is to rovide a sealing evice between the inner tu of the tireand the valve stem for continually maintainin an air-tight connection between them.

Modbrn day-transportation by motor vehicles, especially by those which carry passengers, requires the use of brake drums of large diameter in order to safeguard properly the lives of the passengers. The use of a large brake drum, however, results in the disposition of its outer peripheral surface closely adjacent the rim supporting the tire, and upon application of the brake heat generated by friction between the brake band and the brake drum is readily conducted to the rim. Tests 80 have been indicated that the heat generated upon the drum frequently is as much as 500 F. and that the temperature of the tire rim is as much as 300 F. The latter temperature even exceeds the ordinary temperature required for vulcanization of the inner tube employed in the tire and hence causes a thinning of the wall thereof adjacent the rim. Since the valve stem is secured to the wall of the inner tube by a head on the former engaging the inner surfaceof the latter, and a bridge washer held by a lock nut against the outer surface of the tube, it is evident that thining of the tube causes a space between the clamped portion thereof and either the head of the valve stem or the bridge washer.

Through this space the air in the tube frequently is discharged into the atmosphere.

This invention overcomes the difliculties heretofore enumerated by the provision of a resilient sealing device between the bridge washer and the locking nut on the valve stem. When any thinning of the inner tube occurs by reason of the heat generated on the brake drum of the wheel, the resilient device urges the bridge washer against the inner tube to compensate for any decrease in thespace betweenthe tube and either the head of the valve stem or the bridge late.

For a better un erstanding of theinvention, reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part 'of the I specification, of which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a valve stem provided with a resilient sealin device constructed according to one embo 'ment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve stem shown by Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the resilient sealing device se arated from the valve stem.

Referring to Fig. 1, a threaded valve stem 10 having diametrically opposed flattened portions, indicated at 9, PI'OJGCtS through an opening 13 in an inner tube 12. The lower end of the valve stem is provided with an integral head 11 engaging the inner surface of the inner tube, whereas a bridge Washer 18, slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the valve stem, engages the outer surface thereof. This washer is integral with a bridge plate 15 having obliquely and upwardly projecting ends 16 and 17. A metallic late 25, slidably but non-rotatably mounts on the valve stem outwardly of the plate 15, is disposed between the oblique ends 16 and 17 of the plate15 with its ends engaging intermediate inclined portions thereof. In order to retain the parts in their aforesaid osition, lock nuts 27 and 28 are threaded on the valve stem outwardly of the metallic plate 25 with the nut 28 abutting the latter.

With the parts in their assembled positions as shown by Fig. l the central ortion of the metallic plate 25 may be forced downwardly by the nuts 27 and 28, but its ends are prevented from moving downwardly because of their engagement with the ends 16 and.17 of the bridge plate 15. Consequently, a potential force is stored in the plate 25 which is exerted through its ends downwardly against the ends 16 and 17 of the bridge plate. In thefevent the inner tube becomes sufliciently heated, owing to the transmission of heat from the brake drum of the wheel to the rim supporting the tire, to'cause thinning of that part of the tube adjacent the valve stem, it is evident that the potential force present in theplate 25 will cause a. movement of the brid e plate downwardly to compensate for the t inning of the tube thus resulting in a U ti ht seal between the valve stem and the tu From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a devlce has been provided which msures an air-tight seal between the inner tube of the tire and the valve stem associated therewith, regardless of any thinning of the tube owing to heat conducted thereto. While the form of the invention illustrated embodies a metallic plate, it is evident that a spring, a lock washer or similar device may be employed for performing the same function.

Although I have illustrated only one form which the invention may assume and have described in detail only a single application thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a valve stem having a head on its lower end a washer loosely mounted on the stem and adapted to retain a portion of an inner tube adjacent the head,

and a nut for movin the washer, of a resilient device disposed etween the washer and nut.

2. The combination with a valve stem having a head on its lower end, a washer loosely mounted on the stem and adapted to retain a portion of an inner tube adjacent the head, and a nut for moving the washer, of a resilient plate disposed between the washer and nut. v

3. The combination with a valve stem having a head on one end, a bridge washer with outwardly directed ends, and an adjustable device for moving the bridge washer, of a resilient plate between the adjustable device and washer, and normally contacting with only the ends of the brid e washer.

4. The combination wit ing a head at one end thereof, of a spreader mounted upon the stem, a nut mounted upon the valve stem beyond the spreader, and a member made of resilient sheet metal having an opening through which the valve stem extends and ositioned between the said nut and the sprea er.

5. The combination with an inner tube, of a valve stem projecting through the tube and havin elements thereon on opposite sides of the t'u e for clamping the latter, and means including a resilient device for holding the elements in contact with the tube. v

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

6 Si ed at Akron in the count; of Summit and tate of Ohio, U. S. A.,th1s 6th day of.

December,-1928. Y GEORGE. E. DISNEY.

a valve stem hav- 

